<p dir="ltr">Artist, glassblower and Arts University Plymouth graduate Benjamin Lintell also currently works at Wave Murano in Venice, having trained and collaborated with a number of notable glass artists in the UK, USA, Paris and Italy since graduating from the arts university in 2017. Glass artists in Venice live-streamed hot glass demonstrations into Arts University Plymouth as part of <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/posts/looking-back-on-melting-pot-hot-glass-gathering">‘Melting Pot: Hot Glass Gathering’</a>, which also featured demonstrations within the university by Elliot Walker, the UK-based winner of the Netflix series 'Blown Away'. Other BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practices students from Arts University Plymouth to complete internships at Wave Murano include <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alexandra.phoenix?utm_medium=copy_link" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alexandra Phoenix Holmes</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/e.s.design_/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elizabeth Simms</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Funding for the Wave Murano internship comes from the <a href="https://www.turing-scheme.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Turing Scheme</a>, the UK's programme for supporting students to take advantage of the personal and professional development opportunities offered by studying, working and living abroad.</p> <p dir="ltr">We sat down with Michele to find out more about his love of hot glass, his life in the army and later creating artwork for Games Workshop, and why he recommends the Student Support team at Arts University Plymouth and now says the university “feels like home”:</p>

<p dir="ltr">Learning in such a prestigious environment is going to be an incredible opportunity. I’d been following the Wave Murano Glass Instagram account for a while and they were following me, and at Christmas last year I messaged them to basically say that this is what I want to do with my life, can I learn from you over the summer? That led to an online interview and I was thrilled when they extended an invitation. I’m determined to make a good impression on them and open the door for future collaborations. Learning in such a prestigious environment is going to be an incredible opportunity.</p> <p dir="ltr">I could not be more excited about this opportunity to learn from one of the most prestigious hot glass studios in the world. After following Wave Murano on Instagram, I expect it to be an incredibly busy commercial glass environment, working long days in the public eye. The Venice Biennale will be opening while I’m there, with opportunities to experience new work by some of the world’s most influential artists. And alongside the chance to learn from experts at Wave Murano, there’ll be scope for me to create personal work in the evenings, which I’m sure will help me to advance my personal practice at an accelerated pace.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">I had a varied career before coming to Arts University Plymouth as a mature student. I joined the army at 16 and went into the Household Cavalry. My first posting was at Hyde Park Barracks, living in London as a 17-year-old lad away. Those were fun times. We worked on state visits, ceremonial duties, I worked for a time with the armoured regiment in winter, training with the tank crew and learning to work as a radio signal operator.</p> <p dir="ltr">I worked in a role as a Physical Training Instructor for a while, then a slot opened to become a Military Tailor. That was a great experience, I was responsible for the ceremonial dress of the troops and I once made a tunic for Princess Anne that she still wears at formal events. Around that period I got to meet the Queen and various members of the royal family, it was really interesting. I left the armed forces in 2002 and spent some time dabbling in sales and marketing, working as a Marketing Manager in IT.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Absolutely. One of the most interesting things that I’ve done professionally was the period where I worked as a commissioned artist for Games Workshop, painting armies of miniatures for people and creating artwork for their packaging and for the pages of White Dwarf magazine. That was a childhood dream come true for me, working self-employed for Games Workshop.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Before making the decision to come to Arts University Plymouth, I went through a period when I was struggling with my mental health. I feel like there’s still a stigma attached to speaking out about things like that, but I’m a big advocate for being open about mental health struggles and normalising them.</p> <p dir="ltr">I was struggling and then hit a big life event that was unexpected and really put me into a spin. I reached the point where I was ready for a new challenge, so I started looking around at the arts universities in the UK. When I discovered Arts University Plymouth, things fell into place pretty quickly. I was living in Hampshire and I travelled down here to visit for an Open Day.</p>

<p dir="ltr">It was incredible. From the first Open Day that I visited Arts University Plymouth, I knew that I wanted to be here. I only applied to one university, because for me it was here or nothing. I actually came down to visit for six Open Days, because I just wanted to be here as much as I could. When September came, I moved to Plymouth and started my degree the following week. As soon as I got to Arts University Plymouth, it felt like home.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">I had costume design in mind when I started studying here, based on the skills I already had from my time as a military tailor, but I signed up for a BA (Hons) Extended Degree because it offers an exploratory year first to experiment with a wide range of materials and processes before you go on to specialise and confirm your degree choice. During that exploratory year, I was introduced to glass, taking part in a lampworking induction with Glass Workshop Coordinator Amy Whittingham. Working in that area, I saw hot glass blowing and immediately felt like it was something that I wanted to do. When I found glass, it was a real epiphany.</p> <p dir="ltr">After planning for a BA (Hons) Costume Production degree, it felt like a big decision to move onto BA (Hons) Craft &amp; Material Practice. When I went to speak to Helen Markes, the Extended Degree course leader, about my decision, she was so nice about it, she asked me what had taken so long! Everybody could see that I’d fallen in love with hot glass. I spent every spare minute in the glass studios, assisting people, learning from everyone and showing a willingness to learn. When you show up and you’re keen and ready to put the time in, that’s something that the technicians and academics here really embrace.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Working with hot glass is addictive. You’re playing with 1200-degree molten glass and you learn quickly that it’s only ever going to do what you tell it to. If anything goes wrong, it’s your own fault, and when you get it right, you can take credit for the end result. My first six months of studying Craft &amp; Material Practices, I’d pretty much be here learning glass blowing whenever I wasn’t in taught sessions. Any work that had to be done, I’d do at home after the university was closed, which meant that during the day I was here every day, learning and playing with glass. I started selling finished pieces in the reception areas of Arts University Plymouth and there are a few staff members who keep buying my creations, which has been a huge boost to my confidence. Selling work in the university led me to set up a website to sell my art and now I’m fulfilling international orders.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Even now, I still struggle with self esteem and self belief, but the support that I get at Arts University Plymouth makes me feel like I’m part of a family. When life throws a curve, there are people to speak to. Donna and Jonah in the library are both Mental Health First Aiders and they’re incredible to speak to. Plus the Student Support team are just amazing. Susanna particularly is worth her weight in gold.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">I’m so glad that I put my anxieties aside, travelled here and asked to learn how to work with glass. Arts University Plymouth has given me the freedom to explore my artistic vision without trying to pigeonhole me into any one medium.</p> <p dir="ltr">I’ve become an artist organically and now that’s how I describe myself, as an artist. If you’d told me five years ago that this was the life I’d have now, I would never have believed it.<br /></p>